Oyster-bed.



-No .'83l,200; H PATENTED SEPT. 18, 190-6.

' A. M. WILLIS.

OYSTER'BED.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 6, 1906.

A TTOR/VEKS Wlmuis'szis;

THE NORRIS PETERS 5a., wasmncrcm n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT orricu.

AOHILLE M.

ONE-THIRD VVILLISJOF BEAVER, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY, ASSIGNOR OF TO WILLIAMH. BROWNELL AND ONE-THIRD TO WILLIAM MCK. EVANS, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

OYSTER-BED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 18, 1906.

A fi fi fil d August 6, 1906- Serial No. 329,412.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AoHiLLE M. WILLIS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Beaver city, in the county of Beaver and Territory ofOklahoma, have invented a new and useful Oyster-Bed, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to, oyster-beds of that general class shown anddescribed in -United States Letters Patent issued to me on ,andoperatively connected with'the matand the removal of the oysters.

pivoted sections, respectively, whereby an initial upward movementexertedv on the main cable will close or assemble thepivoted sectionsand a further movementof the cableelevate the spawn-supporting mat topermit A still further object of the invention is to generally improvethis class of devices, so as to increase their utility, durability,'-and efficiency.

With these andother objects in view the invention consists in theconstruction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafterfully described, the accompanying drawings, it being understood thatvarious changes in form, proportions, and minor details of constructionmay be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a perspective view of an oyster-bed constructed inaccordance with my invention, showing the same resting on the bed of astream. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the pivoted auxiliary matsmoved to operative or assembled position preparatory to elevating themat.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corand illustrated in respondingparts in both of the figures of the drawings.

The improved device consists of a spawnsupporting mat comprising asubstantially rectangular frame 5, the side and end walls of which areconnected by a plurality of longitudinal and transverse wires or bars 6and 7. Interwoven between the wires 6 are pine branches, brush,underwood, or other fibrous material 8, which forms a bed for the spawn,thereby preventing the same from being washed away by the action of thewater.

Pivotally associated with the frame 5 are a plurality of movablesections or auxiliary spawn-supporting mats 9, also preferably coveredwith pinebranches, as indicated at 10, the latter being interwovenbetween the longitudinal and transverse connectingwires 11, as shown.The pivoted sections 9, four of which are preferably provided, are eachpivotally connected to the main supporting-frame 5 by means of suitablerings or loops 12, which embrace the adjacent bars of the frame, andthus serve to secure the same together. As a means for raising andlowering the mat there is provided a cable 13, one

end of which is connected to a suitable float frame 5, there beingsimilar chains 17 carried by the ring 15 and operative ly oonnected withthe pivoted sections 9, as shown.

It will thus be seen that an initial upward movement exerted on thecable 13 will move the pivoted sections 9 to vertical or operativeposition and that a further movement of said cable will elevate the mainframe 5 with the sections .9 in assembled position, thus preventingaccidental displacement of the oyster during the elevating operation.

In use the spawn or seed-oysters are placed on the bed proper and thelatter 10W- ered to the bottom of the stream and in which position thepivoted sections 9 will move laterally to open position, as best shownin Fig. 1 of the drawings, so that the main and auxiliaryspawn-supporting mats will be disposed in horizontal alinement- IOO bestruck by a passing boat said chain" will give, and thus leave the bedundisturbed; Whenthe mat is elevated, the upward-meta ment on the cablewill flnst move-the pivoted sections to closed position, as showniniFig; 2 of the drawings, after which the mat is brought to the surfaceof the stream and: the oysters culled therefrom and the rest leftundisturbed on the mat, which may then be lowered'to the bottom of thestream. It will thus be seen that the improved bed may be used in depthstoo great for tongingor dredgingand in fact, may beused at any depth:where the pressure is not too great fbr'the oyster.

Having thus described the invention; what is-claiined is 1. A deviceof'the prising a spawn supporting mat having a: plurality of 'a'uxiliarymats pivotally connected thereto and movable to closed' positionwhen=themat is elevated.

2. A device of the class: described; comprising a: spawn supportingrnat,a' plurality of 'auxiliary mats pivotally connected thereto:

andmovable toclosed position when thema't is elevated, andflbrousmater-ial forming: a part ofthe'main and auxiliary mats.

3*. A device of the class described; com-' prising a spawn supportingmat having a plurality of auxiliary mat-sections pivotall'y connectedthereto, asupporting-cable, and flexibleconnections betweenthesupportingcable and the main and auxiliary mats.

4 A device of the class deseribed', comprising a spawn-supporting mat.having a plurality of auxiliary mat-sections-pivotally connected:thereto, a main supporting cable, aflexibl'e connection=between the maincable and the corners of the mainsupporting-mat, and a flexibleconnection between the auxiliar-y mat-sections and said cable;

5: A device oftheprising a spawn supporting mat, a plurality of'auxiliary matsections-pivotally connected thereto and normally disposedin horizontal themain-mat-section, a sup- 1 alinement with classdescribed; com

class' described; com- 1 porting-cable, and aflexible connection be'tween the supporting-cable and the main and auxiliary mats,respectively, whereby when the cable iseleva-ted theauxiliary'mat-section willrbe moved to vertical positionzn 6. A deviceof the class described, comprising a spawn-supporting mat consisting ofa rectangular frame connected by longitudi- ,naland transversestay-wires, auxiliary mats pivotally connected to the main'mat and alsoconsisting of" the rectangular frames provided with longitudinal andtransverse staywires, fibrous material interwovens between the staywires ofthe'mainlandi auxiliary matsections, a supporting-cable,andflexibleconnections extending between: the supportingcable andthemain: and auxi1iary mats-.'-

7 A deviceof" Uhe'class descnibedQ comprising a spawn-supporting mat, a\plurality of aux-iliarymats-pivotally connect-'edtliereto,'asupporting-cable having. a float secured to one end thereof and its":opposite end provided with a terminal ring; and! flexibleccnnectionsextending between the ring" andi the 1 main and auxiliary mats-L.

Si A device of the classdescribedt com"- prising a spawn-supporting'mat'. consistingof a rectangular frame prcvided witl'r transverse andlongitudinal stay w'ire's, auxiliar mats pivotally connected theretoand! also provided with longitudinal: and transverse stay-wires, fibrousmaterial interwoven: between the stay wiresof the main and auxiliarymats rings forming; theipivotal connec- 3 tioir between: saidi Ina-ts,-a suppontingecable, andl a1 flexible-connection= extending between thecorners of: the main andf'a'uxiliary mats and operativel'y' connectedzwit-lr the support ing-cable; i In testimony that I claim the fbregoingas my own I have-hereto in the presence 1 of two: witnesses.

AGHILLEl M. v WIiELISI. Witnesses:

Di MEERE, GEO: HEALY.v

aflixedi my signature

